Wigtown showcase sets tongues wagging

WagTongues pop-up bookshop joined the Wigtown Book Festival on Saturday with its own mini-festival of readings, talks, interviews and books.
Run by the Dumfries Writers’ Collective, WagTongues is a bookshop which pops up without warning across Dumfries and Galloway and over the border.

Its remit is to sell precious things: local books by local writers, including poetry, fiction, memoir and history from Sally Hinchclife, Donald Adamson, Hugh Bryden, Mary Smith, D D Hall, Gwen Kirkwood, Margaret Elphinstone, Claire Cogbill, JoAnne McKay, Kriss Nichol, Janet Walkinshaw and, of course, me.

Celebrated poet Hugh Bryden
searches for inspiration for
The Poet Is In

Member Mary Smith, said: “WagTongues runs a programme of events whilst we’re open, so there’s the opportunity to meet authors, listen to readings, hear interviews and attend mini-workshops as well as browse through and buy wonderful books.

“We take books from any writer or publisher in the region and anyone who would like to join us should send an email wagtongues@aol.com”

Sally Hinchcliffe and JoAnne McKay

The bookshop has this year enjoyed a successful festival run.

It was invited to be  part of the Dumfries and Galloway Arts Festival in May when it held a two-day pop-up bookshop and mini literary festival in Castle Douglas.

WagTongues recently took advantage of another invitation by The Stove, Dumfries, where it popped-up during the Nithraid and In Our Town events. Its innovative literary venture, the Poet Is In, proved popular with the afternoon crowds.

Last year WagTongues appeared twice at the Wigtown Book Festival and at The Stove, Dumfries, during Scotland’s Book Week in November.

A few weeks ago, they moved across the Border for the first time to collaborate with the Carlisle Writers at the Borderlines Book Festival.

WagTongues member Sally Hinchcliffe, said: “We're really pleased to have been invited to take part in both Borderlines and Nithraid, two great up-and-coming events in the region, and a chance to build bridges both across borders and with different art forms.”

Chick amused his audience
with a performance of
poems by rote.

On Saturday, WagTongues popped-up in Wigtown during the Book Festival at the Quaker Meeting House and adjoining garden.

An impressive display of books in the outside pavilion attracted browsers and purchasers while, inside, festival-goers listened to the many talks and readings by Dumfries and Galloway authors and poets.

I sold three copies of
The Sleeping Warrior on the day!

At the same time, the region's most talented poets sought inspirational thoughts from the public for a set of spur-of-the-moment poems which delighted audiences.

Poet and WagTongues member JoAnne McKay said: “It's fantastic that WagTongues has popped-up three times during September, and each appearance has so far had a very different flavour.

"We would like to say a huge thanks to all the writers and publishers who came along and to everyone who volunteered to help out.

“We exist to promote local writing, and love doing it, even if it does mean a few sleepless nights!”

WagTongues takes no commission with the full price of sales going directly to the authors and the events will raise funds for Arthritis Care Scotland. Further information from http://wagtongues.wordpress.com